Do Lobsters Really have Teeth in Their Stomachs?

If you happen to get up close and personal with a live lobster, don't worry of getting bitten through its mouth. Be mindful of its claws or pincers which are very powerful and can tear through human flesh. While lobster have mandibles that are used to tear food apart, they do not have teeth in their mouths to chew their meals. However, they do have teeth-like projections in their stomachs which are used to grind their food. The teeth-like projections look like molar surfaces and are called the "gastric mill."

Other strange-but-true lobster facts:

Lobsters can grow (regenerate) new legs, claws and antennae. They can drop body parts, like claws, antennae or limbs, at will to distract a predator during attacks. They can then grow back the lost parts. This is one of the rare characteristics of lobsters that are attributed to their primitive nervous system. Lobster farmers uses this fact to prove that these creatures are less sensitive to pain compared to humans or other types of animals against claims by animal activists that dropping a lobster in a pot of boiling water is cruel and torturous.

Furthermore, scientists discovered that lobster have pea-sized brains which reinforces the notion that lobster feel when subjected to cooking procedures. According to researchers, the lobster's brain is too underdeveloped to process pain.

Lobster also have extremely poor vision considering the size ratio of their eyes to their heads. Their eyes cannot distinguish colors and do not see clear images. However, their eyes are very sensitive to light, and they are able to detect movement and shadows even though there is very little light. They find their way around mostly through touching and detecting odours through their antennaes.

Another strange fact about lobsters is that they smell with their "feet". In fact, lobsters have several receptors on their claws and their legs, which enable them to locate and recognize food in their immediate surroundings. Lobsters have other receivers on their antennas and mouth that enable them to detect odours (chemical signals).